I’d never thought love could feel this way.
When I overheard Archer talking to Krys about needing another resistance band and knee sleeves, I asked Lakota to help me find them. Yesterday morning, I left the presents on his workout bench as a surprise. Giving gifts out of kindness had always been an indulgence of mine, and now it felt wonderful to do that again without strings, expectations, or even fear.
I excitedly dressed for movie night. The pack liked gathering for games, movies, meals, and anything else that brought us together, and the dress code was pajamas or anything cozy.
Since I only slept in T-shirts, I borrowed a pair of red plaid pajama bottoms from Robyn and paired them with one of Archer’s white V-necks.
“Wait up!” Joy called out from behind me.
I stopped by the hall that led to the staircase as she made her way over in an oversized blue robe.
“Are you cold?” I asked.
“I always get chilly at night.” She hooked her arm in mine. “When does the Council make it official with you two?”
“Soon.” Unable to stop smiling, I strolled down the back hall with her. “We don’t want a public ceremony, so I hope that’s not weird. We’re just going to sign the papers.”
“Oh, honey, whatever you two decide will be perfect. You’ve already bound your hearts, and I think it’s wonderfully romantic that a horse and wolf fell in love. It’s a fairy-tale romance.”
When we reached the first floor, Virgil flew past us to the living room.
“I’ve got the pretzels!” he announced. “Does anyone have chocolate? I’d give my left kidney for a Raisinet.”
“I’ll show you how to make them,” Bear said.
Tak eased up to us and jerked his head toward the kitchen. “Do you mind if we speak alone?”
Joy slinked away as quietly as a mouse.
I followed Tak to Bear’s bedroom door in the back hall. “Is something wrong?”
He scratched his head, which loosened a few hairs that were already falling out of his braid. “I hope not. You know that lease you’re paying on the bookstore?”
My heart skipped a beat as I feared the owner might be raising the price. “Yes.”
Tak stepped back so I wasn’t craning my neck to look at him. “I bought the building from the owner.”
My jaw slackened.
“I didn’t do this to undermine you,” he quickly said. “The store is my gift.”
“But I can’t afford?—”
“You may be a quiet one, but I see your ambition. Your books will bring money to our pack. Mercy can work with you on the percentage split and set you up with an account. If you decide the store is too much, I can find another use for it. But from what I’ve seen, it’s a lucrative business.” He quirked a smile.
“I don’t know what to say.”
He winked. “‘Thank you’ is always nice.”
“Thank you.”
Tak led me back down the central hall toward the living area. “Leasing is a waste of money, and the owner was eager to get rid of the space. He doesn’t see the potential in this town like I do. Now that you own the property, you can build onto it. There’s always a risk humans might wander down the road, so you might want to put the Breed books in a hidden room. That way, our stuff won’t circulate in the human world.”
“Once I tell them the prices, I doubt they’ll stay long.”
He chuckled. “True.”
We walked past a row of fake trees on the right that obscured the television and the large sectional.
